Device for monitoring earthmoving

ABSTRACT

An engineer&#39;&#39;s telescope is mounted on a carriage which rolls on a circular track. The track is supported by adjusting nuts on studs fastened to the top of a stand which rests on the ground. The operator sits inside the stand. The track may be leveled or tilted, and the operator can position the telescope radially 360*. By means of a wireless transmitter the operator can actuate a receiver mounted on a land leveling or grading machine to adjust the grading blades.

nited States Patent 1191 Daly Sept. 10, 1974 [54] DEVICE FOR MONITORING 2,389,852 11/1945 Hagner 33/268 THMO G 3,106,782 10/1963 Carroll 33/281 [76] Inventor: Paul c. Daly, 3055 N. First Ave., FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS Tucson, Ariz. 85719 384,877 2/1965 Switzerland 33/292 [22] Filed: Sept 1972 Primary Examiner-William D. Martin, Jr. [21] Appl. No.: 287,476

[57] ABSTRACT 52 us. (:1. 33/292, 33/285 Ah engineerS telescope is mounted on a Carriage 51 Int. Cl G010 15/12 which rolls on a Circular track- The track is Supported [58] Field of Search 33/290-292, by adjusting nuts Studs fastened to the top of a 33/281 285, 275 R, 227 stand which rests on the ground. The operator sits inside the stand. The track may be leveled or tilted, and [56] References Cied the operator can position the telescope radially 360. UNITED STATES PATENTS By means of a wireless transmitter the operator can actuate a receiver mounted on a land leveling or grad- 33/290 g machine to dj the g g blades 2:261:249 11/1941 cranat'jj.ijjjjjjjjjjji 33/281 x 1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures DEVICE FOR MONITORING EARTIIMOVING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The field of the present invention relates to a new device for obtaining accurate land grading.

Heretofore, the following method of obtaining a desired grade has been commonplace:

Wooden stakes are placed in the ground at intervals. A horizontal line marking is located on one side of each stake by using a conventional transit. Instructions are written on the side of the stake as to how much below, or above that line, the finish grade is to be. Many stakes are required to level a field and many hours of engineering calculating and surveying are involved. These stakes must be worked around in the rough grading operation, so they will be preserved to measure from when approaching the desired grade. When the rough grading is done between these islands, there is expense involved in removing them.

After the rough grading is done, the engineers must return and place the blue top stakes. These are driven down until the tops are at finish grade level. The grader must pass over them, and further difficulty is encountered when some are knocked out of the ground and others are buried out of sight.

The present invention would eliminate the need for many operations presently employed in earth moving and in leveling a field.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention embodies the unique feature of a standard engineers telescope secured in a rotating carriage which is mounted over the rim of a turntable or circular track so large that the operator sights from inside rather than across the turntable. The circular track is mounted on a stand. This device reduces operator fatigue and makes a more stable instrument which does not require frequent readjustment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a perspective view of the sighting device of the invention; FIG. 2 illustrates a detail.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawing:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the device for use in connection with land grading including leveling or the like. The stand is comprised of two horizontal circular members 1 and 1' which are connected by six angled members and three vertical members as seen by inspection. The top ends 7 of the vertical members are bent inwardly as shown such that the ends 7 support the circular track 2 by bolted means 3 as shown in FIG. 2. The bolted means 3 serve for adjusting the tilt of track 2. Also in FIG. 1 is shown rotating carriage 6 which is comprised of four roller assemblies 4 connected together in an integral assembly by arched members to resemble a cone to provide clearance for the operators head. Rotating carriage 6 includes also an engineers telescope 5, thus the rotating carriage can be rotated through 360 by moement on the four roller assemblies on circular track 2.

FIG. 2 illustrates the manner in which roller assembly 4 contacts circular track 2, track 2 being adjustably supported by nut 3 on stud 8, stud 8 being welded to member 7. A wireless transmitter (not shown) may be installedin the stand at the operators convenience. Note: the support for the operators chair must have no contact with the stand. Support and chair are not shown.

In practice and in utilizing this invention, two masts are attached to the cutting edge of an earthmoving machine, one on each side so that one or the other will always be in view, regardless of which way the machine turns. A target slides up and down on each of these masts and is locked at the desired height. A wirelss receiver is mounted on the earthmoving machine which opens hydraulic valves, which in turn raise or lower the cutting edge. As the driver moves his machine across the field, the operator of the telescope keeps either of the targets in line with the cross hairs by sending impulses from his transmitter which causes the receiver on the distant earthmover to actuate the proper valve. By keeping a target in line with the cross hairs of the telescope 5, the field is graded to a plane which is parallel to the plane the circular track 2 has been set to.

No presently available instrument is suitable for use with this new method of land levelling because:

1. The operator does not work in a relaxed position, which is essential when he must sight for hours at a time while swinging the telescope back and forth.

2. They are not designed to be set either level or sloping and hold that position without frequent readjustment.

It will be seen that the foregoing describes a simple and effective means of insuring that a very accurate grade could be attained in a single operation by an earthmoving machine.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for use in land grading comprising: a circular track to be positioned in a predetermined plane parallel to the intended surface of the ground;

a carriage guided by the track and adjustable thereon to any selected azimuthal position;

a sighting telescope mounted on the carriage so as to maintain a line of sight in a plane parallel to that of the track, the track and the telescope and carriage being at such radial distance from the central axis of the track as to provide working clearance for an operator stationed upright on said axis;

a stand providing working clearance therewithin for said operator and supporting said track at a fixed height convenient for sighting through the telescope by an upright operator and adapted to maintain the track rigid and stable in said predetermined plane throughout numerous sightings in different directions. 

1. A device for use in land grading comprising: a circular track to be positioned in a predetermined plane parallel to the intended surface of the ground; a carriage guided by the track and adjustable thereon to any selected azimuthal position; a sighting telescope mounted on the carriage so as to maintain a line of sight in a plane parallel to that of the track, the track and the telescope and carriage being at such radial distance from the central axis of the track as to provide working clearance for an operator stationed upright on said axis; a stand providing working clearance therewithin for said operator and supporting said track at a fixed height convenient for sighting through the telescope by an upright operator and adapted to maintain the track rigid and stable in said predetermined plane throughout numerous sightings in different directions. 